By Eliza Kreske​ When it comes to thinking of Friday nights, many Pioneer students think of football games under the lights. In a break from tradition, the Pioneer Football team has only one home game on a Friday this school year leaving players, fans, and parents upset. “My favorite part as a parent is the anticipation during the afternoon before a game and how excited the boys are to play. It is just a good way to cap off the week,” Moira Yuhas said, whose son Nate Yuhas, a senior, is the starting quarterback for the Pioneers. This anticipation may be harder to find this year, as there are only two Friday home games in the evening for the Pioneer Varsity team this year. Games against the University of Detroit Jesuit, which is before school starts, and Monroe High School are the only two home games on Fridays. The homecoming game against Bedford High School is the day of the homecoming dance, Saturday, September 23 at 1 p.m. Nadia Ajlouny, a sophomore, says this will change the vibe of the game. “A lot of people are saying they’re not going to go,” Ajlouny said. “It’s definitely going to be a little less hype. It would’ve been more fun if it was on a Friday. I feel like on Saturday it’s going to be less enthusiastic and a lot calmer.” Players on Pioneer are disappointed with the lack of home games. Ben Kunec, a senior on the team, says his teammates “are upset” with it and “don’t like” the schedule. “My favorite part of football is playing in front of our student section, and getting hype with my teammates. At away games it’s a whole different environment,” he said. “We don’t get cheers from the student section. Only our parents are there.”This unorthodox scheduling happened because of the Ann Arbor Public School district’s observance of three star holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, which Sophomore Sarah Levin, who celebrates Jewish holidays, says they “definitely don’t understand enough about”. On the AAPS website it says, “School district employees shall schedule interscholastic athletic games in a manner that minimizes conflict with holidays designated as three star. Scheduling of an athletic event on a three star holiday must be reviewed by the Superintendent.”“AAPS is incredibly thorough in their observance of three star holidays,” Yuhas said. “More so than other districts.”Jennifer Kunec, a teacher at Pioneer and mother of Ben Kunec, also believes the AAPS observes these holidays more than other school districts. “I totally support the observance in regard to academics,” she said. “But as far as extracurriculars, in which sports are included, there might need to be more room for a compromise, I just don’t know what that looks like. Other schools outside of the district in our league don’t want to play us anymore because scheduling is so hard.”Not having home football games is not only detrimental for the players, but also for students who lose a social opportunity. “I enjoy being around my friends and people I know,” Ajlouny said. “It’s a fun time.” Mrs. Kunec agrees. “It’s one of the largest attended school events, and is attended more socially than athletically,” she said. “It helps foster community. Kids look forward to it, and for students involved in other activities that typically wouldn’t hang out with a large group from school, it’s one avenue to do something social.”